The Daily MuckA federal judge yesterday ordered the Department of Justice to make detainee cases at Guantanamo Bay a priority. The judge argued that the detainees have been waiting for their day in court for too many years, and that they must be dealt with. In response, the Justice Department said that that one in five of the roughly 270 remaining detainee cases at Guantanamo have been cleared for release. (AP)
Congressional Republicans are blaming the federal government for not having appropriate safety standards for chemicals in FEMA trailers used by Hurricane Katrina victims. This removes blame from the trailer companies for using high levels of formaldehyde in the trailers. (AP)
A new report out from the GAO claims federal officials often delete government email, creating gaps in the public record. The report was released on the eve of a scheduled House vote on a bill that would establish standards for email preservation by federal agencies. (Washington Post)
Members of Congress who teach part-time make vast sums of money in contrast to most other part-time university professors. The members claim that their teaching deals were approved by the House ethics committee, but some are questioning the stark difference in salaries as an unethical “special deal”. (Roll Call)
The son of Dickie Scruggs wants to serve jail-time with his dad. Dickie’s son Zach was sentenced to 14 months for failing to notify authorities that his father and a partner were trying to bribe a state court judge. (Sun Herald)
Congressional investigators have revealed that Medicare paid up to $92 million since 2000 to medical suppliers for goods prescribed by dead doctors. This scam by medical equipment suppliers was first identified by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2001, and has be rectified. (Washington Post)